Unveiling Imposter Phenomena

 

MODERATOR

Charity Hall

Charity Hall is a skilled finance professional focused on fostering strong relationships with clients and consultants. She brings over 10 years of diverse experience in financial services, accounting, technology, and education. She has worked in both not-for-profit and public sectors and enjoys staying active in volunteer work including individual and group mentoring, coaching, and other community-based services.

Charity began her career as an Executive & Financial Assistant at her local church during her college years. Following completion of her BS and MA, she began work as an auditor in the Bay Area, working across various industries, including Employee Benefit Plans, Unions, Bioengineering, Design Services, and many others. Most recently she has worked in Consultant Relations at T. Rowe Price, where she was able to hone her passion for people by recognizing the impact we make in the lives of individuals and communities across the socioeconomic spectrum by encouraging fiduciary responsibility, providing financial education, and emphasizing the importance of a secure retirement for continued quality of life. 

Charity grew up as a pastor's daughter of a culturally and socioeconomically diverse multi-ethnic church based out of Hayward, CA. This environment and specific location planted a passion for people and a unique perspective on collaboration and inclusion - learning to listen, more than talk, and empowering everyone in the room to use their voice. As a young teen, this passion for diversity of thought and individuality led to writing a column in her local paper on racial diversity, in addition to involvement in DEI events and work during college and in her local and broader communities through organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. It has also led to volunteer work in her company's ERG's, being one of the co-founders of the first US-based Women's Consultant Networking Groups during her time at T. Rowe Price, in addition to other involvement and allyship across the other BRG's while at T. Rowe Price, and becoming more involved at her current workplace, Prologis. Upon learning about FWSF in the summer of 2022 and subsequently joining as an active member Charity was eager to join the DEI&B Committee and has served on the committee since late 2022.

A Bay Area Native, Charity grew up in Hayward, CA, and went on to earn her B.S. in Business Administration and accounting at California State University, East Bay; her BA in Music, Vocal Performance, from Patten University (Oakland, CA), and a MA in Human Services, Executive Leadership from Liberty University. Charity enjoys spending her free time outdoors, singing and playing music, getting brunch or coffee with friends and family, exploring the latest wellness or biohacking discovery and reading a good book - she loves learning new things!! 

 

PANELISTS

 

Dr. Mary J. Lomax-Ghiraduzzi

Dr. Mary J. Lomax-Ghirarduzzi is an academic and thought leader on race, inclusive leadership, and faith-informed social justice. She is the inaugural vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and Professor of Communication at the University of the Pacific (Pacific) and served as dean of students and vice provost of diversity and community engagement at the University of San Francisco (USF) from 2008 to 2021. At USF, she led diversity initiatives that resulted in one of the most ethnically diverse university student bodies in the nation. She is also an affiliate faculty member at the Race and Equity Center at the University of Southern California.

Mary helps executive leaders in business, law, finance, technology, cybersecurity, public safety, government, logistics, non-profit, and public policy makers throughout North America become authentic DEI change agents in their respective fields. She is the founder and principal of The DEI Leadership Group, LLC, a diversity solutions consulting group based in San Francisco.

As past president of the San Francisco Public Library Commission, Mary oversaw a publicly funded anchor and beloved institution and its 28-library system ($180 million budget) and led SFPL to become a National Public Library of the Year. She was awarded the 2018 Human Rights Defender for Gender Equality in San Francisco by Mayor London Breed and in 2017, was named one of Bay Area’s Most Influential Women by the San Francisco Business Times. Mary currently serves on the executive board of the Ignatian Solidarity Network, the largest Catholic social justice network in the nation, and was the immediate past Board Chair for the Urban Libraries Council in Washington. D.C.

Mary’s research and teaching focus on intersectional leadership, social reconciliation, and redemptive policy. In 2020 she released her first book, Twice as Good: Leadership and Power for Women of Color.

 

Angela Van

Angela Van has 15 years of experience in the Financial and Institutional Retirement industry. She has worked with start-ups, Private and Public, and multi-national organizations across diverse industries: Medical, Technology, Insurance, Financial Institutions, Retail, Non-Profits, Governments, Education, Wineries, Manufacturing, and more helping the institutions design and implement effective group retirement plans.

Angela started her career as an intern at a financial insurance firm during her senior year in undergraduate business school, and from there she started her career as a financial advisor. During her tenure as an advisor, she worked with doctors, lawyers, and small business owners with their personal and business financial strategies. She then was approached to transition over to specializing in Institutional Retirement Plans for the State of CA Deferred Compensation plan. She worked with 14 counties and approximately 150,000 participants helping them with their supplemental retirement benefits. She has worked with the City and County of San Francisco, Sonoma County, Public K-12 Education, and more. Since its inception, she has continued her specialization in retirement planning, advocating for financial literacy and equitable leadership. Angela was approached by a reputable consultancy firm and was asked to be their retirement plan consultant. In her role as a consultant, she continued to work with the organization executives and board members as the subject matter expert in all areas of the retirement investment plan. She was able to coach the executive and the organization on having the most suitable retirement plan.

Angela is an experienced speaker in finance, organizational development, and leadership dynamics. She serves on committees centered around women’s leadership, DEIBQ+, and women in finance. Passionate about transformative and servant leadership. Presently, Angela is the Regional Vice President at Equitable for Group Retirement (CA, HI, & AK), focusing on building stronger relationships with key stakeholders, business development, and managing her territory. Angela is also a Co-Founder of Van Shaw LLC, an organizational consulting firm. Consulting organizations on team dynamics, workforce trends, emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, leadership, executive coaching, and organization culture.

Angela grew up in Sacramento, CA. Additionally, she has lived in the Bay Area for a bit due to her work. She has two bachelor’s degrees in business – General Business and Human Resource Organization Behavior from CA State University of Sacramento. She attained her Master of Science Degree in Business Organization Development from the University of San Francisco. She has her insurance, investment securities licenses, and her Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor. She has been a guest lecturer for Finance at CA State University of Sacramento. Angela believes in giving back to the community and making an impact with every interaction and every individual.

 

Marwa Ibrahim

Marwa Ibrahim is a dynamic professional with a decade of invaluable experience in Human Resource and Data Privacy/Governance. Currently, she is a dedicated full-time graduate student at Dominican University of California, pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics degree while simultaneously holding the position of Product Manager at Walmart Connect, where her focus lies on Data Privacy and Governance. Marwa's journey is a testament to her unwavering commitment to personal and professional growth, as well as her dedication to fostering inclusive career paths for individuals irrespective of their race and gender.

Growing up in the vibrant community of Alameda, California, Marwa Ibrahim's roots have always been firmly planted in the Bay Area. Her decision to remain local for her undergraduate studies at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, reflects her deep connection to her hometown and her commitment to nurturing the local talent pool. Beyond her academic achievements, Marwa is a multi-faceted woman driven by a profound sense of excellence both in her professional endeavors and within her immediate community.

One of Marwa's core values is promoting inclusivity in career development. She recognizes the importance of creating opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds, regardless of race or gender, to thrive in their chosen fields. Marwa's role as a Product Manager at Walmart Connect allows her to actively contribute to shaping the landscape of Data Privacy and Governance, ensuring that these critical areas are accessible and accommodating to all. Her journey as a graduate student at Dominican University of California further underscores her commitment to expanding her skillset, which will ultimately empower her to advocate for more inclusive career pathways. Marwa Ibrahim is not just a professional on the rise but a true champion of diversity and equity in the workplace.

 

Tom Byrne

Tom Byrne brings over 20 years of experience as a P&C and Employee Benefits insurance consultant and broker. He’s worked with start-ups, IPO’s, publicly traded, multi-national organizations, across several industries: Technology, Financial Institutions, Media, Real Estate, Restaurants, PE/VC, Life Sciences, Crypto, Retail, F&B, and more.

Tom began his career in the insurance industry by joining a sole proprietor that specialized in providing Professional Liability (E&O) insurance for California-based residential real estate firms. After leaving the firm in 2008, due to the collapse of the real estate market, Tom has had to change companies 3 times over 10 years before finally finding the right company fit in 2018, with Lockton.

A former high school teacher in the inner-city of San Francisco, Tom’s teaching experiences with kids from poor socio-economic backgrounds, gave him a unique perspective throughout his career, with a lens and passion for DEI&B in the workforce and community. Over the years, he’s attended several DEI&B-themed events, joined his companies’ BRG’s, and then decided to take more action to become an educated and empowered ally by joining the FWSF. Today, Tom is an active member and serves on the Fundraising and DEI&B Committees of FWSF.

Tom enjoyed growing up in San Jose, CA, where he attended Mitty High School. While playing youth baseball and football, he was teammates and buddies with the legendary Pat Tillman. Today, he dedicates his time and energy to promoting and supporting the Pat Tillman Foundation. He then went on to earn his B.A. in Business Administration and a High School Teaching Credential at Sonoma State University. With the slowdown during the Covid pandemic, Tom took the time to study and earn a CEBS (Certified Employee Benefits Specialist) accreditation, along with a CDAA (Certified Digital Asset Advisor) accreditation.